4D Group Members

I want to understand how and why the developing brain is so diverse, and how this diversity is linked to different cognitive, learning and mental health outcomes.

Prof Duncan Astle
Group Leader

Dr Gabriela Epihova
Research Fellow

I am interested in the link between functional and structural brain organisation and plasticity with cognitive abilities.

I work on bridging computational neuroscience and AI with connectomics, development and understanding organisational principles of neural systems.

Dr Danyal Akarca
Research Fellow

Dr Alex Dunn
Research Fellow

I am investigating the development of neuronal networks as well as the effect of mutations to the MECP2 gene and the role of a specific subclass of inhibitory interneurons thought to regulate network activity.

Georgie Willsher
Research Coordinator

I handle the administrative elements of the group, including managing our web presence, promoting our Belonging In Schools inclusion resource, and all general research administration.

My role is to support the cohorts at the MRC CBU, in particular I work on the CamCAN and CALM to make sure we maximise access to the data.

Tina Emery

Research Associate

I am interested in causal mechanisms relating genes and brain structure/function with cognition, and how these trajectories change over time, using large open-access neuroimaging datasets with children and adolescents.

Alicja Monaghan
PhD student

I am interested in applying computational models to explore the development of diverse neural networks. I hope to better understand how diversity in brain networks relates to different cognitive and behavioural outcomes across the lifespan.

Alexa Mousley
PhD student

I am interested in understanding how growing up in an adverse environment — such as chronic poverty or an abusive household — affects children’s brains, behaviour, and mental health. The aim of my research is to identify early markers of risk and resilience and possible targets for mental health interventions.

Maria Vedechkina
PhD student

Maroš Rovný
PhD student

My goal is to understand how different neurodevelopmental trajectories influence the organizational and functional properties of biological and, by extension, artificial neural networks.

Kayton Rotenberg
MPhil student

I am interested in using computational methods to model simple rules governing brain network development. I hope to apply a weighted generative network model to data at the cellular and neuroanatomical levels across different subjects and conditions to learn how environmental and genetic factors influence changes in connectivity.

Lab Alumni

We are incredibly proud of our past lab members!

Dr Roma Siugzdaite

After completing a post-doc, Roma went back to Ghent University to work on numerical cognition and working memory in children and adults. Mainly focusing on serial order representation in the brain

After completing a postdoc in the lab, Joff joined AstraZeneca as a Senior Statistician in the Data Science team.

Dr Jonathan Jones

Dr Giacomo Bignardi

After completing a PhD and postdoc in the lab, Giacomo secured another postdoc position in the Department of Psychology (Cambridge).

Dr Edwin Dalmaijer

After a postdoc in the lab, Edwin went on to start his lab as PI, at the University of Bristol

Dr Jessica Barnes

Jess completed a postdoc in the lab, before going on to work within the Behavioural Insights team within Government

Dr Erin Hawkins

Erin completed a postdoc in the lab before going on to work in Government, within the Department for Education

Dr Andria Shimi

After a postdoc in the lab, Andria went on start her own lab as PI, at the University of Cyprus

After completing a postdoc in the lab, Joe went on to run his own group as PI at Royal Holloway, University of London

Dr Joe Bathelt

Dr Mengya Zhang

After completing a PhD in the lab, Mengya went on to a postdoctoral fellowship in Shanghai

Dr Alex Anwyl-Irvine

After completing his PhD Alex went on to an exciting career in industry, working for Cambridge Cognition

Dr Joe Rennie

After completing his PhD, Rennie secured a postdoctoral researcher role at the University of Exeter

Sophie Gibbons

Sophie worked in the 4D Lab as a research assistant, as part of the RED project. After she finished, she secured a permanent research role for a company in Oxford

After completing a PhD in the lab, Stephenni completed a fellowship with the first neuroethics think tank, Institute of Neuroethics (IoNx), before starting a job with a global health innovation company specialising in science communications and medical affairs.

Dr Stepheni Uh

Dr Elia Benhamou

Elia is now working in a tech company building digital solutions for the NHS.

Dr Tess Smith

After completing a PhD in the lab, Tess now works as a postdoctoral research fellow at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit

My research involves looking at whether socio-economic status (SES) and polygenic scores (PGS) relate to educational attainment and whether such relationships are mediated by cognitive ability.

Christian Iordanov

Dr Silvana Mareva
Research Fellow

After completing a PhD in the lab, Natalia moved on to a role in Industry.

Natalia Zdorovtsova
PhD student

Grace Frankel

Dr Sofia Carozza

After completing a PhD in the 4D Lab, Sofia now works as a postdoctoral research fellow at Harvard University

4D